Star Wars : The Last Imperial
by M.R Steiner
Summary: How far would you go to remember, when your life is over, and a new one begins, would you really want to go back, even if the truth consumed you? The old world is gone, another stands in its place, yet the specter of something persists, a fractured memory of a long lost past. Perhaps things aren't so final after all?
1. Chapter 1

**Star Wars : The last Imperial**

 **Author notes : ****do NOT use MY original characters, or the my exact plot please, I hate to state this, but I've been a victim of theft before, now I have defenses against such things. I would like feedback on my writing style, what works, and what doesn't, first two chapters so far, more will follow.**

 **preferred soundtrack : I am a big believer in the audio literary experience, it sets the mood, and its something I intend for all my writing, the recommended soundtrack is the 'Knight of the old republic 2, the Sith Lords OST' and a low volume desert sound effect, also available on youtube.**

 **Soundtrack links for the lazy , look up the name on youtube, obviously,**

 **Desert effect (low volume ) title -** Sounds of the Mojave Desert - Wind Through Tree

 **Sith lords play list (medium/low) title -** Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II soundtrack (the one with 57 videos on the playlist, and the Darth Nihilus mask as its cover)

 **Fantasy Casting : I also like to pick specific actors for the major roles in this story, at the head of every chapter I will add a cast of real life actors as characters, in image ONLY, I must stress these aren't the real life people in the situation, more a template for you to imagine, feel free to substitute your own, but tell us who you imagined. **

**Fantasy cast : **

**THE IMPERIAL= Tom Hiddleston,**

 **NYX= Lupita Nyong'o,**

 **MAW=** **Hafþór Júlíus "Thor" Björnsson aka The Mountain**

 **note: if a character's fantasy actor is essential to the plot and so must be hidden, they will appear in the next chapters casting, Enjoy**

 **Chapter 1: Our code most dear**

 **Nyx**

It started with quake in the earth, then a fire in the sky, it burned like a beacon, drawing the unwary wanderer into its light. The elders called it an omen, a dark sign to stay away. After all, it was the forbidden zone. Since the Hutts conquered their land, they knew the terms of a peaceful existence, stay in the desert, that prison of shifting sand, at the edge of the western dune-sea, the same it has been for over six hundred years.

The third moon had begun to retreat, the night would not hold out forever, and so only one of their tribe was willing to take the risk. She stood among cloaked elders, their faces covered against the all too common sand storms, as she too stood hidden from view, obscured by a crude breathing apparatus, veiled in a silk black hood.

"It is our home, our land, can't we fulfill the code of our people?" she said, as most of the elders remained silent, with one exception.

"None hold the code higher than us," replied the elder, "though it is plain to all, our words will be unheeded, if you must, go alone, your protector is too large accompany unoticed," not one word was returned; instead she fastened her cloak, faced the wind, and walked to her intended target, the still glowing fire on the horizon.

The gale of chipped sand did not let up; seemingly it opposed her direction, almost like the dunes themselves were warning her. Yet this woman felt compelled to help, the code demanded it, even if the so called wise men rejected it out of fear. The forbidden zone served as barrier, and jail, with the most terrible of consequences for those who trespassed. Still, she clawed up the cliff-like tundra, which reshaped with every movement, dually dampening the effort. So was the pattern till the second moon had surrendered to the horizon, when she finally set eyes on it, a red rock canyon, bathed in flame.

Dry heat overrode the cold bracing air, as if a new terrible day had been born before its time, as darkly interesting as it was ominous, at least to her. The intrigue was simple, because none were allowed to build in the forbidden zone, not even the Tusken who patrolled it. With this in full knowledge, someone had built a structure, which now stood in dishevelled sheets of silver and grey, a ghostly remnant of its former daring position. Amongst the chunks of random debris were the bodies of men, humans, their uniforms as grey as their home. Imperials, she thought.

Then they appeared. Each perched upon the cliff face above her, dressed in decrepit brown robes, their grunts fully audible, even though the thick flames, Tusken Raiders, dozens of them. Each one cried in succession, the common sound that comes before a kill. However, as the girl removed her mask, their reassurance turned into apprehension, for the briefest of moments at least. A break in the storm, had given them full view, hair of refracted blue.

Before she spoke, they knew her name, "I am Acheena Nyx, and you are on my land!" she declared, as if the weapons they held meant nothing, then it became clear.

Those weren't Cycler Rifles in their hands.

They two were grey and silver, pillaged parts, enough to equip a raiding party at least. Acheena Nyx stood in shock, the Tusken rejected the technology of the outsider since time began, and now they stood ready, and strangely capable to use them, a horrifying observation confirmed when they switched their safeties off.

There wasn't much time, in their minds, Nyx was already dead, yet she knew their traditions, perhaps they had not abandoned them all, she thought, "I demand to speak to the Chieftain," she said, seemingly stopping the assault, seconds before it was wrought. One put down his weapon, only to throw something into the dirt by her feet, the head of the Chief.

Like jagged spikes, the red ribbons of energy charged, Nyx's only option was to run, to test how well they knew their guns. Dozens of blasts fired in every direction, soaking the rock into self-propelled chunks, covering her escape as she dived back into the dark slopes of the dunes. Once more the land had become a spinning cloud of cover, serving the escape as she heard the cries of her pursuers. Then out of the night, back beyond the boundary, she heard a call. It was a familiar tone, one that reassured her, one that others would consider terrifying, like a beast.

"Maw," cried Acheena, certain her protector would hear, regardless of the howling wind and rapid sand.

Again his roar grew closer, hopefully serving as warning to the Tusken, Imperial Rifles or not, they knew Maw's reputation. Even with such hope, Nyx could ill afford to stay still, she ran towards the boundary, his voice leading the way, when she felt a tight grip of her ankle. It was a man; an Imperial like the others, almost burned beyond recognition, with his very suit melted into the skin, not even a face remained.

"Help… me," he cried in labored tones, Acheena had no choice. Her code demanded it.

Nyx called out for her protector, who now appeared as a hulking shape in fast approach, with only the slightest outline of matted fur visible, Nyx still knew it was Maw, the thump of the ground of his lumbering frame foretold it, and spoke volumes above the weather as she ordered him to take the crippled human away.

"We must move," said Nyx as she pulled up her hood, "the third moon has set, but there might be time to hide this, get him to the Kolto tent."

 **The imperial**

The first thing he remembered was the cold, not that dark cold of the night, but the bracing blue liquid that enveloped his body. Behind tinted glass, among the dazed spells of consciousness, he observed them, shapes and patterns, moving shadows of light, captors or saviours, he was uncertain. Days, weeks, time itself seemed lost to that limbo, in what became all he could recall, until the day arrived, a new time when he saw the world again, with a wholly blank perspective.

The darkness was banished, the day had prevailed, a long lost aspect of existence, returned in the form of blinding agony. He rubbed his eyes, eventually the man realised his surroundings as a tent, it swayed from side to side, almost as if it teetered on a cliff, a sensation he formerly attributed to injury, then a strange reality. It was decrepit, were his first thoughts, the environment looked as if it hadn't been clean in years, the very bed he laid upon, was nothing more than a patch work of old materials, hastily stitched long ago. It disgusted him.

Then it approached, a droid, rusted, and barely worthy of the name, its gears and servos were a hasty patchwork of spare parts, a barely functional frame of different sized wheels, each of which propelled a beaten circular-plate head, with a cracked viewer lenses as its only means of sight. The thing beeped in down sloped tones, the kind a droid makes when it's about to blow a motivator. What terrified the man most, was its arm, which clutched a needle, set in direction towards him.

From his point of view, that machine wasn't equipped to cut scrap, let alone deliver a shot, he couldn't allow it, and sprung from the bed, only to deliver a kick to the droid, which flew across the space with a screeching slide. At the man's side were a set of robes, no doubt left for him, which he put on without hesitation. Upon the chest was a symbol, stitched into the grey cloth, a strange pattern, charred and melted, as if it were in a fire, six blue squares and two red ones, the other four were missing.

He did not have time to wonder, instead the man picked up the closest sharp object he could find, and stepped out the tent. What greeted him was not a windswept village, he hung from the air, atop a massive striding beast, where on its back sat dozens of tents, with his being unlucky enough to rest by the edge. Were it not for the loose hanging door, he would have surely plunged into the swelling crowd below, a massive network of smaller moving structures, which crawled onward at pace, a city literally on the move.

A blood curdling roar from above then drew his attention, only to witness the sight, in every horrifying way possible, a monster, white furred, with a set of massive tusks, which stuck out from his face, even more so as it roared at him again, eye to eye. It reached out with its claw like hands, its mood undeniably filled with blood lust, savage and full of rage. There was no option.

Another creature, half the size of the moving platform he hung from, stomped below, before the monster could take him, the man simply let go, where he plunged a still considerable height, only to collapse another empty tent in his landing. With a small sense of relief he looked upwards, and gave the slightest of laughs as he peered to see that beast, slowly turning away, out of sight and defeated.

Another cry then thundered forth, like the one before, only much louder, as it jumped, impossibly far, and incredibly fast, where it landed with such power, the structure dented, creating a crater, obscured in upturned sand.

"Oh dear…," said the man, before running off for dear life.

Despite every effort to get away, the beast did not waiver, it pursued him through the flowing crowds of cloaked individuals, creatures of every kind, and each dressed in brown flowing robes, contrasted to his own grey attire. It stuck out like a sore thumb, but this was the least of his worries. Even as he ran to the back of the creature and climbed its heavy rock like skin to the dirt below, the monster gave chase, which again easily jumped to the ground.

The surface was a cluster of moving shacks atop small beasts of burden, Dewbacks, Banthas and a host of others, each as strange as the last. All dragged wagons behind, each varied in sized and stature. Bewildered at the display, the man ran through more robed crowds, each of whom paid little attention, as if they were completely oblivious, except of course for the one who chased him.

Now a desperate man ran as far as possible, the constant flow of people and property seemed endless, and exhaustion had finally set in. The heat of the two suns had taken their toll, so the man surrendered, and the beast accepted, in the form of a furry fist, which delivered him to unconsciousness.

Once more he awoke in the same bed, as if it were all a dream, then the sting of a bruised face asserted itself, it was no mere fantasy. The proof stood before him, a walking carpet, bright white with a darkened face, and those ever present tusks, with a look as if it meant to kill him, soon. Next to it, that same rusted box of rolling bolts, puttered around the tent, always from a distance, obviously the lesson was learned.

"You should stay put this time, Imperial," said a voice of a woman, as she approached the tent, "you don't want to upset my friend a second a time."

She walked through the open door way, clad in a long black robe, like the ones outside, only much finer. Atop her head was a crude respirator, a kind of mask with goggles, one a pilot might wear, if his ship were made of junk. When this woman removed it, she revealed long shining blue hair, unlike anything he had seen, a peculiarity that dazed him as she delivered another warning, if the Imperial wanted to stay alive, he would have to learn to take orders.

"From a girl like you?" said the Imperial, a sentence that the beast did not enjoy, as it let out another cry in response.

"Make no mistake Imperial, your only options are to stay here and serve, or go off to the dune sea and die," she replied, her face emotionless with stoic demeanour, over-toned with a certainty the Imperial recognised, "Let's start this over, introductions, you've met my protector here?" she said as her hand patted the arm of the monster beside her.

"That tusked monstrosity is a protector?"

"He's called Maw actually, and he is far more valuable than you at the moment Imperial, and so is that droid you kicked," he scoffed at such a statement, then denied ever hurting the rusting mess she called a droid, "Don't lie to me, A-0 told me everything, trust an Imperial to damage the thing that saved his life," he remained arrogant to the last, which ended with an outright decree, there was no way such a ghastly creation, could ever do anything properly, "you have a funny way of showing appreciation, A-0 operated the Kolto tank for the twenty nights you were treated, he healed your grafts and gave you a new face, without him and the rest of my subjects, you'd be a burned mess in the sun.

"Your subjects…, who are you?"

"Nyx, we are all Nyx, it is our tribe name and I am your queen, Acheena Nyx, last of the family, and as your ruler I want to know, who you are?"

No matter how hard the Imperial tried, nothing but the time in the Kolto tank was clear, beyond it, a void, "I can't… remember."

"Not surprising," Acheena replied, as she produced a shard of metal, still covered in blood, "You were more than burned, that explosion must have launched you into the air, your entire body was shattered, this is just one of the pieces of Dura-Steel we pulled out of you, it came from your skull," it was as she saw his face sink with despair, that Nyx took pity on him, "at the very least, we know by that insignia you were an officer, they used to only come from loyal core worlds, so clone is out of the question, but does it matter either way, I mean, the war is over, at least here on Tatooine?"

She explained it in full, 14 standard years had passed since the Emperor's death at the battle of Endor. The Empire had been driven out of the outer rim by the New Republic, and even the Hutts cut all ties, going so far to place a bounty on the heads of any personnel found on the planet, Nyx told the Imperial her theory, that he was one of a desperate remnant, left behind with no better place to hide than the Forbidden Zone.

"I refuse!" he screamed in response, "I was not a coward, I refuse to believe it."

The Imperial stood up in outrage, only to be lifted in a stranglehold by Maw, high in the air, "Maw, drop him, now!" Nyx cried, as the beast jabbered on in strange half tones, "I understand that, but that's not our way, so remember the code," thankfully it listened, and released the Imperial, who crashed back onto the bed in lung laboured breaths, "Listen well, we only have one law here, all life is sacred, it's the code of the Nyx, and it's the reason your alive right now, you have nowhere to go, your Empire is gone, deal with it."

On those harsh words, she left the Imperial, to ponder on the life he'd lost, as her protector stood watch outside, while that bucket of bolts droid repeatedly drove into a chair, which it continued to do so, the entire night.

 **Queen Acheena Nyx**

"You have risked everything," shouted an elder, his face still covered, in the tradition of their tribe, "Queen or not, our treaty with the Hutts is in jeopardy, all for this Empire filth."

Outrage were the words the fellow wise men spoke, each of them encircled Nyx, inside a massive gaudy tent, "You have much room in this place elders," she said, "many of those below could sleep here when it is vacant."

"Do not attempt to muddy this sacred place to hide your recklessness my Queen, you are subject to the same code as us all, which you willingly broke risking the sacred lives of all who journey in the Caravans," called another faceless member.

Acheena grew tired of the meeting, from her point of view, doing nothing would have been the real betrayal, a fact that the wise men disagreed with, they decreed that angering the Tusken raiders would only provoke the attention of the Hutts.

"You would have us live as slaves, to wander the desert, forever exiled from our homeland, our planet?" it was then the council reminded her, the last reprisals for crossing the forbidden zone were the murders of her entire family, "And you all stood by and did nothing, now I am Queen, and this council exists at my discretion,"

Maw waited for his mistress to leave, only to give an angered growl in the direction of the elders, something he knew Nyx could not do, yet still wanted. It brought a smile to her face as they walked beside one another, Maw was one of the few she trusted completely. As he spoke in a rapid succession of hushed howls and snals, she understood completely, the Imperial was finally healthy enough to leave the tent.

Her personal home was the same platform her captive woke up on, sat atop her personal steed, the giant Fambaas, a creature uncommon to the desert, atop it was an elaborate network of craved wood and decorated hide canvass, alongside a relatively decrepit shelter, where her guest resided, it stood apart from her home, as she intended it to be. As Acheena entered, it was certain, that man had an emotionless look behind his eyes, one that only a lifetime of evil deeds could craft, he was still an Imperial, never trust the Empire. Yet the code demanded she gave him a chance, otherwise Nyx would be no better than those councilmen, who sat in cold judgment, high above the people, a place she had a long distain for.

"So, your majesty, when can I get out of here?" he asked, that arrogant tone, unmistakable, "I am perfectly healthy now, by some miracle, that droid has managed the job, I can only assume there is an even smaller creature inside, working the contraption like a puppet."

"We value everything here," Nyx replied, she couldn't allow such a person to have any sense of power, "A-0 is exceptionally valuable, from what we can tell, he's the oldest droid still running in the galaxy, that clock has over 900 years in it, he can interface with everything, what do you bring to the tribe?"

"How about some order?" the Imperial said through a grin, "your people are dreadfully lacking in it, right now they ramble in the thousands below, as queen you should enforce the correct discipline."

Acheena saw the remark for what it was, a desperate man's act, determined to scare what he thought was a girl playing pretend. Luckily, Nyx knew how to humble such vitriol. They took him to the central dung heap. The structure was a massive trailer, filled with every kind of excrement, an appropriate place for first steps of atonement. The Imperial was chained to the inside by his ankle, where he would shovel freshly loaded excrement into the main pile. It was as Nyx left, that she informed him that it was the punishment for all petty crimes, and that he probably deserved much worse.

As her sentence ended, the crowd picked up in pace, the moving city began to run, something was happening in the distance, an act that terrified those who fled as they all shouted the cause, Tusken Raiders. The Queen recognised the sounds of the weapons, the charged energy of the same Imperial rifles, which now laid waste to the fiery caravans in the distance.

Well ahead of her marched Maw, now well in the heat of the battle, as he hurled massive chunks of smashed buildings at the aggressors, a group of three Raiders, then two, then one, Maw earned his bloody reputation, long ago. Nyx thought it strange that they sent only three to attack such a massive group, only when she picked up a rifle from a dead enemy, did her eyes confirm why. Upon its chest was a flashing silver marker, which grew in intensity with each passing second, only to stop when the sky turned red, and the rain of imperial thermo mortars fell, a well-planned trap.

Her protector knew what to do. Maw picked up Acheena, and threw her as far as possible, his time to run cut short as he two fled from the raining fire, only to be hit by the shockwave it invoked. Nyx could not see through the smoke, his survival was unknown, while her own torpidity increased as she noticed the blood pour from her head.

All became dark, "What have I done," she whispered to herself.

 **The Imperial**

She left him there, as if he were the same as the others, just another hand to shovel the filth, then it occurred to the Imperial, the so called Queen did it for one reason, he was a threat. Their code was slavery, he thought, a pretense widely exploited, the fools that followed it, cowards. It was made clear to him as the assault began, when her majesty stupidly charged into battle, alongside her hulking pet rug, and all others retreated. Even the so called convicts were set free; each one was unchained and allowed to run, all except the Imperial.

They left him there, in the face of a their so called code, the pacifists left him to die, his legs still knee deep in dung, as he watched the first wave of mortar fire devastate what remained. By his own wits the Imperial tried to make an escape, in the form of a sharp knife, one he'd pocketed days before. Like everything else around him, the chain was repurposed salvage, only a simple lock held it in place. It was as he clawed through the muck and attempted to open it, did a sense of familiarity strike, a shadow of a memory, perhaps even training. Either way, the Imperial slipped his bonds and jumped off the rapidly moving trailer, only to be left in a cloud of dust, sparsely littered with dead animals and flaming wreckage.

His first intention was to find a real weapon, one he might stand a chance with, anything to get him away from that manure box prison. The best bet was in the direction the assault took place, another volley of mortar fire was worth the risk, his gamble seemingly paid off when he noticed the remains of a ragged Raider, his dead arms still clutching a carbine, one he knew how to operate. As he looked for any still living creature for transport, the ground behind him began to churn. Another Raider, his legs blown off, impossibly alive, he crawled through the sand, dragging behind him a trail of discolored blood, single minded as it pulled out a warped knife, and continued onward. Only as the Imperial approached, did the target become clear. In a pool of her own blood laid the Queen, unconscious as the broken attacker crawled towards her, with only the most murderous intentions.

"I suppose this will make us even," said the Imperial, who readied his rifle and squeezed the trigger.

A puff of smoke was all the weapon produced, which left no option, with his own knife in hand, he leapt upon the savage, wrestled him away, and delivered a killing blow to the mindless creatures throat, an act that bathed his decrepit grey robes with fresh gore.

"Don't move!" shouted a hooded figure in the distance, as a group of tribesmen charged in and took their Queen away, "Take this murderer to the Elders."

Those fools waited till the fight was over, only to rush in, and take the credit for their Queen's rescue, no doubt accusing the Imperial of attempted murder, a false charge that saw him brought before the so-called Elders. Those faceless men stood around him in a massive tent of gold leafed cloth, as each one took turns deciding his punishment.

"Imperial, you stand accused of attempting to murder our Queen, Acheena Nyx, the last of the family," they said, which only drew a contempt filled scowl in response.

"I was left to die while you cowards fled, against my better judgement, I rushed to her aid, where I killed one of her attackers," he said.

"The Tusken with no legs, a likely story," one replied, "They wielded weapons only your kind could build, they have rejected the way of their chief, and now they assault our people, clearly this is a plot instigated by Imperial treachery."

"If you would simply wait for the Queen or that monster to awaken, they could confirm that I didn't try to murder them, these proceedings are ridiculous."

"We as Elders must act, it is not even known if the Queen or her protector will awaken at all, you exhausted all but a fraction of the Kolto we have harvested for generations," his accusers then quietly muttered amongst themselves, one by one coming to pause as he waited for their judgement, "Imperial, it is the decree of this court, that you be exiled, with only minimal food and water to the dune sea, never to return," in Nyx's absence, their word was law; the Imperial was for all intents and purposes, doomed.

"You cannot decide such things while I still breathe air," called the voice of the Queen, as she stumbled into the room, her body still covered in congealed blue Kolto, obscured by a fine black cloak, "We had more than four tanks of Kolto left, still, the myth has been floating around the Caravan, that we are woefully short, thank the moons that A-0 located the rest, which he strangely discovered in your personal conveyance, Elder Vansh," those same men who took the Queen away, appeared behind the Elder, as they ripped his hood clean off, to reveal the green parched skin of a Neimoidian, "You have betrayed the code by putting your own life ahead others Elder, I sentence you to exile, the same you imposed on the Imperial."

They dragged the disgraced councilman away, where his pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears, as Acheena dismissed the rest, and told her rescuer to follow. She led him back to her platform, a place they arrived at, by way of a strange crane-like lift, a rickety structure that turned and hoisted them to the royal tent. It was the first time the Imperial saw the inside of her home, all across the floor a network of decorated rugs and pillows snaked in every direction, as her droid, A-0, rolled around the white fluffy body of her protector, who still laid unconscious, his shoulder matted with blood.

"Kolto doesn't work on Maw, he has to heal naturally," Nyx said as she briefly kneeled over her friend and stroked his forehead, "he's been in worse fights, and A-0 is the best medical droid on the planet."

The compliment drew a spike of beeps and clicks from the rusted machine, as if it were about to catch flame from the approval, a fact that slightly amused the Imperial as he asked, "What is he, some sort of wookie?"

"Much more than that," Nyx said as she stood back up to face him, "only he can tell you, I'm sworn to secrecy," Acheena then led him to a secluded part of her tent, where she cast a fractured carbine at his feet, "What do you know of this?"

The Imperial examined the weapon, its grip seemed familiar, as more fractured memories became apparent, "It's an Empire E-11 blaster rifle, with a carbine modification, part of a weapon cache, the symbol at the handle is its issue number," the Queen seemed impressed, and asked him how many more were out there, "if this symbol is to be believed, there's much more than blasters and thermo mortars to this shipment,"

"How much more?" she asked, as her stoic demeanour shifted to visual worry.

"In total, 200 blasters, 60 side arms, fifty thermal detonators, four thermo mortars, and one all-terrain scout transport the AT-ST, and all the provisions it comes with."

"That's not just a raiding party," Nyx said as she looked at the floor, "that's an army."

"Hardly and army," scoffed the Imperial, "more a strike-force."

The Queen did not respond, for her concern was the people of the tribe, those whose lives were in mortal danger, "You seem to recall a lot about your people's technology, it will be useful when you help us against the Raiders."

"Hold on," said the Imperial, his arms held up in a pushing manner, "You saved my life, yes? Well I saved yours, the way I see it, our business is done, and the debt is repaid."

"Do you know why Maw is my protector? He saved my life; the tradition is that anyone who saves the life of Nyx becomes a protector, which you are now bound to Imperial," the statement infuriated him, to the point where he plainly asked the consequences of his refusal, "If Maw was awake he'd probably just throw you off the side, but since he's not here, allow me to give you a small preview," In a blinding flash, the Imperial was knocked to the ground, with the realisation that he was bleeding profusely from the nose. Now beyond outrage, he leapt up from that spot, the ghost of his former life seemingly working through him, as he parried and delivered a kick to her chest. A few seconds later she swept him back on the floor, only to lock his face between the ground and her leg.

"If it wasn't for that Kolto, I'd have a firmer grip!" he cried, adamant the battle wasn't over, regardless of reality.

"Listen closely Imperial, it's because of you, the Raiders have those weapons, it would have happened whether I stumbled on your walking corpse or not, the lives of the people, are all our responsibility. You think I'm really giving a choice? I only extend the honour because I don't trust you. I need a reason to keep you in sight, where you can't make any more trouble, a protector in name only!"

She relinquished her hold and sent him away, back to his tent at the edge of the platform. The message was clear, as were the odds, sooner or later the Tusken would return.


	2. Chapter 2

**Star wars : The Last Imperial  
**

 **Soundtrack links for the lazy** **, look up the name on youtube, obviously,**

 **Desert effect (low volume ) title -** Sounds of the Mojave Desert - Wind Through Tree

 **Sith lords play list (medium/low) title -** Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II soundtrack (the one with 57 videos on the playlist, and the Darth Nihilus mask as its cover)

 **Fantasy cast** **:**

 **THE IMPERIAL= Tom Hiddleston,**

 **NYX= Lupita Nyong'o,**

 **MAW = Hafþór Júlíus "Thor" Björnsson aka The Mountain**

 **The Comet God = Kristoffer Tabori**

 **Chapter 2: The battle for the Dune Sea**

 **Queen Acheena Nyx**

It had been days since the attack, a quiet panic had prevailed over the Caravan, and in every corner were whispers of the Tusken's firepower, it spread like a plague. She heard as much from the crowd, those who gathered to witness, as the traditions dictated, the exile ceremony. Vansh, once a Neimoidian of some distinction, he came to the Nyx like the rest, a refugee with nowhere to go. Years before Acheena's birth, he found his way to the Elder council, where he became rich and powerful, until this wise man broke the code. To put one's life above others, is the most terrible crime of all, she believed it with all her heart, and now had to show as much to the people, at that time more than ever before.

Her subjects stood all around, as she threw a backpack at the disgraced ones feet, which Vansh picked up, with one last plea to the Queen. It was no use, for the people, she had to dispense justice, even if she felt hasty in the punishment.

"The night will give you cover," Nyx said, as her former subject wept, and all the rest turned their backs, "you will find a Bantha on the next slope, I suggest you stay away from the mountains," the decree was for minimal food and water, yet she felt he deserved a chance.

Vansh however, grew in anger when he realized his fate was sealed, as he said, "You betrayed the code your Majesty, you risked the lives of these subjects, crossed into the forbidden zone, and drew the Tusken to our homes, it is you who should suffer this fate, you and the Empire scum you blasphemously made a Protector, where is this murderer now?" Acheena had asked him to attend, yet he refused. Too embarrassed to show up with a bruised face, she thought. Nyx was undeterred, as she turned her back, and remained so until Vansh departed.

The Imperial waited beyond the crowd, where he knelt in the sand until the Queen stormed past. She was furious, even without physically being there, the so called Protector had damaged moral, though not one word could said about it, not in public.

"Why did you refuse?" Nyx shouted, the second they entered her tent, "You have responsibilities, a duty to follow, am I clear?"

"I did my duty, I escorted you there and back," he replied, unfazed by the discord, "I can't recall much before the Kolto tank, but I'm sure I've witnessed more than my fair share of executions,"

"That was not an execution!"

"You truly believe a politician, well in his final years, could live out there, with no combat or survival training, while a well-equipped horde of savages run rampant?" Acheena knew he was right, but the Imperial did not hear about the Bantha, something she still kept secret, so he would think twice on betrayal, "though I must admit, I didn't think you had the guts, congratulations Majesty, from fear comes order, something we will need to train your subjects."

The idea filled the Queen with repulsion, a feeling she made clear with audible objection, her people were part of the Caravan, because they refused to fight. She explained how her subjects, are a majority of families, mostly woman and children, those who's loved ones challenged the Hutts. Long ago, before she was born, the Nyx family intervened on behalf of a failed uprising towards the north. Before then the Hutt Cartels would have simply killed the loved ones of any involved, but her ancestors negotiated a treaty, the innocent families of those unlucky enough to anger the Hutts are all exiled to the Caravan, those deemed too weak for slavery at least.

"And what do the Hutts get from all this?" he asked.

"Kolto, there's hundreds of untapped wells of Kolto, all beneath the western-dune sea, only I can find it, it's the gift all members of the Nyx family possessed."

"And this forbidden zone, what is it?" there was no time to answer, as a guard entered the room, and informed the Queen the council had summoned her.

 **The Imperial**

Rather strangely, her Majesty had not demanded he leave the royal tent. No doubt the Queens mind was preoccupied, sending a man to his death must have been difficult, he thought. Still the Imperial took advantage of the oversight, where he surveyed the clean environment, one that stood in contrast to his own abode, when the main hall came into view. In its center burned a large fire pit, the flames of which kept her furry protector warm, as he still persisted in a comatose state. That same rambling droid, A-0, performed his tasks, a multitude of inefficient scans, arcane injections and ancient logic.

The Imperial could not stand it, he still did not trust the machine, and shoved it aside to deliver the shot himself. A-0 was too slow, in no way could it stop him from snatching the syringe, and so the droid retreated, it did not trust him either. He knew the creature must have been at least part wookie, the similarities were too numerous, the snout, the eyes, and teeth all seemed familiar, his brilliant white fur and massive height were not, all topped by those tusks, Maw seemed wholly unique.

"Why are you still here?" said the Queen, as she abruptly returned, "No matter, it saves me time, you need to come with me, the elders are trying to leave."

The pair journeyed to the very edge of the Caravan, where dozens of animals broke away from the herd, steered by lackeys of the elders, the lowest of cowards. In the center of the chaos, Nyx stood in argument, pitted against two representatives, both of whom only remained to inform her Majesty of the council's decision, they wanted to form their own tribe, one free of the oppressive rule of the code.

"That Fambaas has our only weapons on-board," she said, "if you take it, we'll be defenseless when the Tusken come!"

"I thought the code prevented such things, Miss Nyx?" said one of the elders.

"Not when we have to defend ourselves, at least divide what we have, you owe us that much."

"We are sorry, but the animal is too far to heed our call, and we thought it a fair trade for leaving the Kolto, now, respectfully, we must depart, all who travel with us wish to remain in good stead with the Hutts, especially after they find out you traveled to the forbidden zone, and harbour an Empire rat."

"And who will tell them that, Elder?" she replied.

"It matters not who, it is a certainty, you Acheena Nyx, have doomed your people."

Coinciding with those words was the sound of an Imperial blaster, a realization that filled the Queen with dread. When she turned to see the source, it became clear, the Imperial stood on the horizon, in his hands was one of the weapons the Raider's attacked with, reconditioned and rapidly firing off into the distance. His target was the Fambaas, which wailed in pain as the people scattered from underneath its tumbling shadow, and fell into the baking hot sand. Her subjects screamed in terror, as dozens witnessed the event, the Queen included. She charged for the Imperial, and dropped him to the floor as quickly as before.

"We could not lose our only offensive weapons," the Imperial shouted, "we'll die if they take them."

Acheena knew he was right, but he had broken the code, those subjects who remained, gathered all around, each accused him of murder, their pacifist philosophy on the verge of mob justice.

"Silence!" said the Imperial, as he stood up, raised the rifle in the air, and shot into the sky, "Now that I have your attention, this blaster you're probably all familiar with, well there's 197 more out there, and worse, I can assure you, and they're in the hands of savages that want to kill you all, our weapons, and the training I can give you, will help us prevail. Who is with me?" the ground shook beneath him, and the crowd parted, all remained silent as a roar approached from the distance, "Oh dear," he said to himself, as that fluffy white behemoth charged towards him, ironically recovered by his assailant's medical attention.

All the Imperial remembered, was waking up in his tent, his face now bruised a third time, both eyes and the jaw, "You really are a fool," said the Queen, "scare my people like that again, and I'll just let Maw finish the job."

"Those people need to be scared, fear will keep them alive."

"It just provoked more into leaving, don't you understand, it's over, there's barely three hundred left now, you've been unconscious for two days. The rest have gone off to join the Elders, Tribe of the Wise Men, they call themselves now, a joke," replied the Queen.

"That's better odds for us in my opinion, we can respond to attacks quicker, you had too many people to manage, they could strike anywhere without warning, how many weapons do we possess?"

According to A-0, the remaining Caravans had 39 Cycler rifles, 2 primitive grenades, 1 scavenged bow-caster, which was so old it shot actual arrows, and about 2 and half homemade weapons of varied designs. From the droids point of view, the probability of success was low, for once the Imperial silently agreed with the machine.

"Were in as deep dung as that heap you escaped from," said the queen, as a half desperate joke.

"Do we still have it?" he asked, "with the right activator, that fertilizer could be a powerful bomb?"

The idea seemed plausible; a large mine made of fertilizer could cripple their army, having to know the direction of the attack well in advance was the only issue. To solve this problem, they both decided to scout for the Tusken camp, and determine the exact route of the assault. Maw agreed, as he grunted from outside the tent, unfortunately for him, Nyx forbid it, he was still recovering and his size and white fur would be spotted a mile away, it was a job for her and the Imperial.

Well past sun fall, with the mission at hand, he waited for the Queen, stood on the rocks a good few miles away from the Caravan, "Why she chose this place I'll never know," he muttered under his breath. A strange whooshing sound began to announce itself, as a vehicle stopped right in front of the him, a beaten up land speeder, rusted orange with dented chrome trim.

"What do you think?" said Acheena, her face covered in that strange breathing device, "My father bought it years ago from a moisture farmer, 2000 credits, half of what the X-34 was worth."

"I think your father was cheated," he replied, "what's the point of the mask you're wearing?"

"You'll find out why, soon enough," her words seemed ignored, as he jumped into the vehicle, and they departed in an all-enveloping cloud of dust, that was the reason why, his desperate bid to cover his face the whole journey no doubt amused the Queen.

The speeder was oddly reliable, not once did it fail on the journey across the arid ocean of sand, where it safely delivered them to the most probable location of the Raiders, the mountains bordering the dune-sea. Even though the Tusken had killed their Chieftain, they did not move from their ancestral home, a peak in the cliffs, which still burned bright with activity. It took the pair hours to scale the sheer rock, only to arrive at a peak overlooking the enemy, gathered by a set of hide shelters and beasts around a massive fire. Acheena came prepared, via a spy glass she brought for the occasion, which clearly showed the display. Hundreds of warriors stood in mass, each clutching Empire rifles and guns, with the AT-ST at the center of it all. On top of it stood a warrior, his robes red, unlike any of the rest, with what appeared to be a smashed piece of machinery on his back, which shot off sparks in every direction. This lone Tusken climbed into the vehicle, which instantly sprang to life, and led the charge of war.

"It'll take them at least a day to reach the Caravan in that," said the Imperial, "we must head back and prepare, this reconnaissance mission is complete, and now we can plan our defense accordingly."

 **Queen Acheena Nyx**

The plan was set, the moons shone over the night, now the time had come, half a day of Imperial training, that was all the men and woman of the tribe had, many of whom never even fired a rifle before. There was no other alternative but to fight, otherwise it meant the end for all, a fact the Queen told her subjects, as they prepared against the attack. A select few worked on the plan, each filled with hope of its success, as it was readied and they two fell into position. Those who could not fight hid among the shacks, as far from the front as possible. Their only defense, 42 men and woman, counting Maw, Nyx and the Imperial, who all hid in a make shift trench, ahead a valley of freshly cut pits and one big trap, built the previous day.

The sound of the Tusken's war cries drew closer from the distance, in the direction they predicted, a fact that made the Imperial sigh a breath of relief, as he said, "Remember your Majesty, do not give the signal on your transmitter, unless the scout transport is in range, if they lose that, the rest will surely scatter."

Soon the Raiders came into view, emboldened by their new weapons, as each stood on foot at the top of an embankment, they didn't even carry gaffi sticks anymore. Their war machine was nowhere to be found, a fact the Imperial warned as the enemy gave one last battle-cry and charged into the fray.

The tribe of the Nyx did not waiver, they lay in silence, ready for the Queen's signal, as she stood up from the sand and called for her people to fire. Each let off a volley of shots, the same weapons the Tusken rejected, now ran through them in synchronize. It was still not enough; dozens of her subjects fell to their blasters, the only way to beat them was the trap.

Despite the Imperial's objections, Nyx activated her communicator, and uttered one sentence, "A-0, do it now," her faithful droid did not disappoint, in a tent a few meters away, her metal companion sent a shock-wave of energy through a cable, which traveled underground, directly beneath the embankment, the same those Tusken's occupied.

Not even they anticipated the power, the mixture of fertilizer and explosive had completely obliterated the hill, which erupted like a volcano, vaporizing all who stood in its wake. When the dust had settled, the majority of the enemy were scattered in pieces, with those few who survived retreating into the distance, a sight that gave the tribe reason enough to cheer, until the sound of marching metal could be heard, far in the distance, towards the Caravan.

"This is your doing your majesty," shouted the Imperial, "we could have lured it to that spot, at the expense of a few lives we could have saved everyone!"

Nyx did not listen, she knew it was the right thing to do, "Maw, find the walker, take the grenades, anyone who isn't injured scout for working blasters, as for you Imperial, follow with me," as the people rushed about outside, the pair ran to the tent A-0 was occupying, where the machine sat surrounded by extra weaponry and manure, "You remember the two and a half homemade weapons, well this is them," the Imperial could not believe what he was seeing some kind of shoulder mounted rocket launcher, with a heavy ion rifle in one side, and the front end of what seemed like a deck-gun in the other.

"This is two and a half weapons?" he said.

"A-0 has been working on this for decades, the ion round goes though the launchers accelerator, then gets added charge from the deck guns railing, he calls it his personal death star, only trouble is it takes two people to fire, and one shot takes a minute to charge."

"Then were going to need a distraction," Acheena knew Maw was already hard at work on that front, by the time they arrived he was clutched to the front of the walker, where he attempted to reach through the ports at the driver, "We can't let it go any further, anymore and it will reach the Caravans."

Before they could even set up, a blind volley of fire sprayed at their feet, Maw may have been keeping it occupied, but it was still a risk that stumbled near her home. With the danger of death closer than ever, the Imperial aimed the device, as Nyx readied the charge, and the weapon began to glow, as a bar in the sights slowly built up. At last it reached 100%, and they both pressed the trigger, and nothing happened, the device shot up a cloud of smoke and fell apart in their hands.

"Does nothing work in this wretched land?" cried the Imperial.

All hope had faded; Maw had lost his grip, and fallen to ground. Acheena rushed to his aid, almost out of reflex, as she collapsed at his side, and watched the machine, whose cannons charged to deliver the kill. It all happened so fast, that the Imperial did not even react, only to watch the technology he knew so well, prepare for the final assault.

Nyx lifted her hands, which to the Imperial must have seemed like a desperate gesture, in face of a certain end, that's when she showed him the power of her family's blood. From the tips of the Queens fingers, shot bolts of lighting, blue static flashes that enveloped the machine, stopping it in its tracks. She screamed as the arcs of energy fried the walker, which shook from the charge, cooking everything within, only to collapse to the floor at the same time as its foe.

 **The Imperial**

The monstrous protector took his Queen away the moment she hit the dirt, and all the others followed in suit, something the Imperial would have done, if he was as undisciplined. From his point of view, the AT-ST was still a danger, whether it was immobilised or not, the driver could have survived. So he remained and cautiously approached the fallen contraption, his carbine aimed at the door, as he turned the handle for the hatch. It sprung open with a jolt, unleashing a vaporous cloud of smoke and smouldering skin. Only as he peered inward did he notice a hand in the dark, metallic and burning to the touch. It scorched his arm, and secured enough grip to pull the machine out into the daylight, it was a droid, plated in metal, glowing red with excess heat, and all but a single arm, head and torso were missing.

"[Statement] You shall not defeat the comet god, I am the bringer of death, the sand people are my sabres, you shall fall before me, your Lord!" said the droid, in the grips of a serious overheat. The Imperial did not care for its words, its molten hand wrapped around his wrist was his only concern, as he summoned what little strength remained to kick the insane device away, "[Addendum] Return to my judgment, and your death will be quick heretic, the gods demand your demise, it is written in the sky, you are marked!" the mad droid clawed towards the Imperial, still dragging the remains of the Tusken who carried it, only to lose power half way across the sand.

Without any help, it took a while to drag the what was left back to the royal tent, where her Majesty was currently indisposed, immersed within a Kolto tank, weary from her feat of power, "is she a Jedi?" he said to himself as the tank suddenly began to empty and open, forcing him to catch her as she fell to the floor, "it appears that Maw isn't the only one hiding a secret?" as if he heard the name, the fuzzy protector walked into the room and took the Queen away from the grip of the man he plainly did not trust.

It took half the day for her recovery, when at last it happened, she requested the Imperial's presence, which he was for once all too happy too adhere to , "So, are you a Jedi?" he plainly asked, as Nyx barely had the strength to sit up from her bed.

"No," Acheena replied, something he still refused to believe, "Once, over 600 years ago, perhaps, we have legends that all Nyx were Jedi, who stood apart from both light and dark, now it's only this," she undid her hood and revealed that blue shining hair which seemed to glimmer of its own accord, "those are just myths and legends though, I know it's the Kolto that resides in my body, as it did for all of my family, the lightning is a side effect, and so is the hair. It's our mark," as this truth was revealed, the floor began the rumble, the Imperial thought it to be another attack, until the Queen sprung up from her bed and shouted, "Oh no, he's early!" she leapt to the floor, and threw him an elders robe, which Nyx instructed to be put on, along with a veil over his face, after which he was to meet at the barge touching down outside.

She'd left before any more information could be given, all the Imperial could do was get changed, and rush to the ground, where the rest of the tribe stood before a massive hovering vehicle. The craft was built like an ancient sea vessel, with an upper deck, and engine that cruised above the sand like a speeder. The Queen stood at the front of the crowd, with Maw at her side, as the Imperial pushed his way next to them, whilst the craft had begun to a touchdown.

"Do not speak Imperial, I can't risk him discovering you hiding, just do as I say," said the Queen, who she slowly bowed to the ground, as did the rest of the people, in readiness of the walkway which descended in front of them.

A globular slug slivered towards them, a mass that dragged a myriad of pipes and machinery in its wake, a Hutt. All around him were an entourage of thugs and bandits; with exception to the roving band was a female who travelled before them, a Twi'lek. What struck the Imperial about her was the disfigurement. One of the two tendrils that topped the head had been severed, and in its place was a cable, that stretched from her skull to the inside of the Hutt's mouth.

"Queen Acheena of the Nyx, it brings me pleasure to see your face once more," said the Twi'lek, an act that bemused the Queen as much as anyone, "Pay no attention to this slave, I have suffered numerous ailments since our last encounter, this female stands as a voice, she is but a conduit, rest assured I am still your benevolent ruler."

"Nargol the Hutt, my lord, I welcome you, as do all your subjects," said the Queen as she cautiously faced up, "It brings us joy to see you."

The Hutt moved into the sand, as the Queen followed with her two protectors in close proximity, all of whom were still horrified with the young Twi'lek whom the Hutt spoke through, because it was plain to see in the girl's eyes, she was fully aware as she said, "Queen Nyx, word of your troubles with the Tusken sand filth has reached my court, and my hearts. It is only now as I rush to your aid that it is plain to see you did not need my rescue, tell me, how did you dispatch your foes?"

"We turned manure into bombs, and destroyed them as they charged down the slopes."

Nargol's men then began to spread out, as each began to search the crowd and shacks, "I too have heard of your problems with the Elder's, or as they wish to call themselves, the tribe of the wise men, they have made public their request of audience, the rest I deciphered from the facts, I would not dare meddle in your responsibilities, I still regard them as your subjects" the search began to intensify, his men were looking for someone, or something, "it pains me to hear of a disgusting rumor, so laughable that one of such unique breeding could never contemplate the notion, whispers of Imperial influence in your midst," that Hutt had picked his timing well, as one of the guards stood before the Imperial and ordered he remove the veil.

"Please my Lord, Elder Vansh is Neimoidian, he can barely take the sun as it is," said the Queen.

"Ah, Vansh, one would have thought you'd to be with those traitorous elders, that is truly perplexing," said Nargol's conduit, as the Imperial simply nodded his head, "it appears my men have found numerous artefacts of this Imperial base beyond the forbidden zone in your midst, the influence I speak of, as you know the treaty forbids advanced weaponry in your people's possession, it is out of respect for this, that my men have gathered this offending material," all around them, the Hutts troops carried salvaged blasters and grenades, along with the remains of the droid that the Imperial discovered inside the walker, "that piece of the puzzle is most perplexing, fear not, it shall be investigated and dealt with in a furrow manner," alongside the droid, the men took the beasts who carried the Kolto, an act that would spare the next scheduled visit, "In light of your bravery against the Tusken, I award this case of supplies, in hopes that it will assure even footing and a clear future for all."

"You are most kind my Lord, the Nyx have always appreciated your generosity," said Acheena, while the Hutt she bowed to made his way back up the barge.

"One last thing my Queen, before I go, it must be informed that I have not been entirely forthcoming, it is a known fact that you wandered into the forbidden zone," the words sent a visual look of fear on Nyx's face when the conduit finished the sentence, "You need not worry your Majesty, you are far too valuable an asset to waste, without your blood, finding Kolto would be twice as hard, and the price has already been paid, be thankful I am merciful enough to count your traitors as subjects, for it was a heavy price. Enjoy your rewards."

Acheena stood frozen in terror, right up until the barge took off, and the people gathered around the supplies, "stay back!" she shouted, as Maw pushed them away and opened the container so none but the Queen could see. She screamed in horror, broken as the collected shades of blood flowed from within, where the heads of the Elders sat severed.

"This doesn't make sense," the Imperial whispered to himself, "if they knew about the base, and tortured the wise men, why didn't he know I was here…?"

A hail of light then rained down from the sky, and the screams of those below called upward. The land was struck in flame, and once more, all became dark.

 **Coming soon, Chapter 3: The just an benevolent Nargol the Hutt**


End file.
